Monitoring Station Operators gathered from all over the World

Mozambique ratifies the CTBT

Mozambique ratified the CTBT on 4 November 2008, bringing the total number of Treaty ratifications to 146. CTBTO's Executive Secretary Tibor Tóth welcomed the ratification as an important contribution to the universalisation of the Treaty. For the CTBT's entry into force, however, nine specific countries have yet to ratify.

Signing of tsunami arrangement with Indonesia

On 10 November 2008, Indonesia signed a Tsunami Warning Arrangement with the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO). The arrangement will help Indonesian authorities to issue tsunami warnings earlier than before.

CTBTO's Executive Secretary travels to Republic of Korea and Indonesia

CTBTO's Executive Secretary Tibor Tóth in an interview on the Indonesian "Metro TV"

CTBTO's Executive Secretary recently travelled to the Republic of Korea and Indonesia, two countries that have shown strong support for the Treaty in many ways. Both are Annex 2 States whose ratification is necessary for entry into force of the Treaty. While the Republic of Korea already ratified in 1999, Indonesia has announced that it is undertaking “serious preparations for ratification of the CTBT."

IMS station operators from all over the world gather in Vienna

173 experts - station operators from 47 CTBT Member States, equipment providers and CTBTO staff - met in Vienna to discuss how to ensure the high levels of data availability, timeliness and quality from the stations of the International Monitoring System (IMS) that make this system the best global network of monitoring stations in the world.

"Best of" CTBTO now on YouTube

The CTBTO has posted a selection of video clips on YouTube. The 19 clips include animations of the functioning of the International Monitoring System (IMS), it's role in the Demcratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) announced nuclear test in October 2006, impressions of the Integrated Field Exercise (IFE08) in Kazakhstan in September 2008 and many more.

Have no fear, things won't be so bad

Former UN Under-Secretary General, Shashi Tharoor, comments on the outcome of the U.S. presidential elections and predicts increasing pressure on India to ratify after the United States has done so. The author advocates that India should also adhere to the CTBT, arguing that "if the US signs it, it would be unthinkable for India, the land of Mahatma Gandhi, to be the lone holdout on a vital step to make the world safer from nuclear war."

Indo-US ties: the NPT spectre that’s Obama

Indian Defense and strategic analyst C Uday Bhaskar analyzes the consequences of the new U.S. administration's policies for India, predicting that the "CTBT is likely to come back into focus." The author points out that his "own long held view is that after the voluntary testing moratorium accepted by the Vajpayee-led NDA government in May 1998; this position can be converted into a legal obligation without any serious setback to national strategic security."

Test Ban Treaty official eyes U.S. ratification

The Global Security Newsletter reports on comments by the CTBTO's Executive Secretary Tibor Tóth on the prospects of U.S. ratification in light of the outcome of the U.S. presidential elections. Tóth is cited: “It will take more than a couple of months, but I am very optimistic there will be resumed efforts in the Senate to ratification”. The newsletter explains that "The treaty requires ratification by 44 specific nations, including the United States, before it can enter into force. The eight other holdouts are China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, North Korea and Pakistan."

SPECIAL REPORT: Major exercise tests CTBT on-site inspections

Oliver Meier, international representative of the Arms Control Association, has published an in-depth report on the Integrated Field Exercise 08 (IFE08) conducted by the CTBTO in September 2008 in Kazakhstan. He also analyzes its importance for the development of CTBT verfication.

DailyScience reports on the research by Läslo Evers on infrasound monitoring. According to the studies, for which Evers received a PhD, events like illegal nuclear tests can be detected by measuring such 'inaudible' sounds. This 'infrasound' can also help enhance understanding about the upper atmosphere.